Refuse packer construction



Dec. 3l, 1968 H. P. RosAlA REFUSE PACKER CONSTRUCTION f ofz Sheet Filed May 5l, 1966 Dec. 31, 1968 H. P. RosAlA 3,419,167

REFUSE PACKER CONSTRUCTION Filed May s1, 196e ATTO United States Patent 3,419,167 REFUSE PACKER CONSTRUCTION Henry Peter Rosaia, Daly City, Calif. Henry Rosana Truck Bodies, 415 S. Canal Ave., South San Francisco, Calif. 94080) Filed May 31, 1966, Ser. No. 553,786 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-83.3)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improvement on Patent No. 2,996,203 on a refuse packer has a oor with downward-rearward slope at the forward loading compartment, an upward-rearward slope at the location of the gate, and a downward-rearward slope at the rear of the packing mechanism. This arrangement has the effect of rolling the refuse as it cli-mbs the ramp, thereby compacting the mass. An improved track structure for the ram guides is disclosed.

This invention relates to a new and improved refuse packer construction and is an improvement on my patent, No. 2,996,203. A principal advantage of the present invention over the construction shown in said patent is the slope of the oor to either side of the housing for the ram actuating mechanism. Said oor slopes downwardly-rearwardly at the forward loading compartment, then slants upwardly-rearwardly at approximately the location of the gate, thence downwardly-rearwardly at the rear end of the packing mechanism, and thence horizontally to the rear end of the storage compartment. The sloping arrangement thus described has the effect of rolling the refuse as it climbs the ramp and therefore there is less tendency for the refuse to fall forwardly. The various particles of refuse tend to roll up into each other and hold themselves in a compact mass which simplifies loading.

Another feature of the invention is that it facilitates loading inasmuch as less pressure is needed in order to compact the refuse into a solid mass.

Still another advantage of the invention is that the floor tends to slide the refuse back even though the ram has reached the limit of its backward ymovement thus facilitating the operation of the ram on the next stroke since less material must be moved in order to compact same.

Another improvement of the present invention over the prior construction is the track structure which comprises long sliding members replacing the rollers. Such sliding members last longer and are stronger and are relatively trouble-free as compared with the previous construction.

Other objects of the invention are set forth in considerable detail in said patent No. 2,996,203 and the present invention has all of said features.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view partly broken away in section of the ram mechanism, casing and surrounding portions of the oor.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are, respectively, fragmentary longitudinal sectional views taken along corresponding section lines in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary transverse sectional views through the track structures as shown by corresponding section lines in FIG. 2.

Many of the parts of the present invention are similar to those shown in Patent No. 2,996,203 and are not shown herein in detail. The body is installed on a conventional scavenger truck having a frame 11 supported by wheels 3,419,167 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 (not shown) and supporting a body 13 having a main storage compartment 14 and a loading compartment 16. Main storage compartment 14 has a front wall 17 in which is for-med a rectangular opening 18 extending up from the floor 19`of the body. Loading compartment 16 has a front wall 21 and vertically reciprocating sides 22. Likewise located in loading compartment 16 is a substantially horizontally longitudinally reciprocating ram 23 which extends the full width of the loading compartment 16 and has a width substantially equal to that of opening 18. In the initial position of its travel as shown in FIG. 2 ram 23 is at the front end of compartment 16 and doors 22 are in lowered position. When the operator moves a control as shown in said patent the doors 22 are raised to the position shown in FIG. 2 and the ram 23 moves rearwardly, pushing refuse in the loading compartment 16 through the opening 18 and into the main storage compartment 14. Ram 23 then returns to its initial position and the doors 22 are lowered for subsequent loading.

Means for reciprocation of the ram forms one of the important features of the present improvement. A centrally-disposed longitudinally extending well 26 is formed in door 19 extending the length of loading compartment 16 and partially into the main storage compartment 14. The bottom of well 26 is not horizontal but slopes downwardly-rearwardly at a slight pitch. This pitch assists in pushing refuse rearwardly into the storage compartment. Located in well 26 and extending partially up above the surface of floor 19 is a ram actuating unit 25 which is self-contained so that it may be installed in `an existing truck and in any event does not require that slots be cut in the bottom of the well or in the sides of the loading compartment, thus preventing drippage of contents onto the pavement. Located at the front end of the unit and extending longitudinally is a hydraulic cylinder 27. Projecting rearwardly of cylinder 27 is a piston rod 28, the rearward end of which is connected by means of wrist pin 29 to Crosshead 31. Crosshead 31 consists of an inverted channel 32 having vertical longitudinal depending legs 33 (see FIG. 1) receiving wrist pin 39. Channel 32 carries on its outer flanges elongated horizontally disposed iron wood blocks 34 attached thereto by nuts and bolts 36. The top and bottom surfaces 37 of blocks 34 are beveled.

Longitudinally extending conventional structural channels 38 are turned on their side and fixed to well 36 to receive blocks 34, it being understood that as manufactured such channels 38 have tapered side flan-ges 39 which are complementary to blocks 34 and thus provide longitudinal guides for blocks 34 as the Crosshead 31 reciprocates. Above top flange 39 along the outer edge thereof are longitudinally extending spacers 41 which support top cover 42 secured by bolts 43. Resting on top of ange 39 inside spacers 41 are longitudinal strips 44 yattached to ram 31 and concealing the gaps on either side of the structure which otherwise occur -between inverted channel 32 and side channels 38. Thus, refuse cannot fall into the interior of the ram reciprocating structure.

IChannels 38 extend reanwardly to accommodate the full stroke of cylinder 27 and are closed off by a transverse rear end plate 46 held in place by bolts 47.

An important feature of the invention is the slope of iloors 19 as is best shown in FIG. 3. Below the loading compartments 1'6, iioor 19 has a downwardly-rearwardly sloping portion 51 which extends from the front end of the body 21 to a point immediately below opening 18 as indicated by reference numeral 52. This portion 51 of the body lies to either side of well 26 and has a slope approximately equal to that of well 26. From point 52 door 19 slopes upwardly-rearwardly in a short stretch indicated by reference numeral `53, rising to about one-half the elevation of channels 38 and terminating in a point 54 which is spaced reanwardly of opening 118. Behind point 54 the section 56 slopes downwardly-rearwardly in a stretch 51 and then terminates at point '57 which is about opposite the back end of channels 38 in a horizontal rear-ward stretch 58. When refuse is pushed rearwardly by ram 23 it slides down the ramp portion 51, the slant facilitating rearward movement of the refuse, and then it is lifted up ramp 53 which rolls the refuse upon itself in a sort of ball or cylinder-like shape. Rearward of point 54 the refuse tends to slide down ramp 56 which facilitates movement of the refuse as the ram compacts one load behind the other and lessens the work which must be perfor-med to move the refuse rearwardly. The rolling movement of the refuse as it slopes up ramp -53 and then down ramp 56 oyercomes any tendency of the refuse to fall fonwardly when the ram 23 returns to its forward position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a packer-type refuse truck, a body, means forming a loading compartment at the forward end of said body, means forming a storage compartment in said body rearward of said loading compartment, a ram movable longitudinally of said body for pushing ref-use deposited in said loading compartment into said storage compartment, actuating `means for said ram, a casing for said actuating means extending from the front of said loading compartment slanting downwardly-rearwardly to a terminus spaced inward of said storage compartment a distance greater than the length of said loading compartment, said body having a floor formed with a central well to receive said casing, said floor to either side of said casing in said loading compartment slanting downwardrearward at a iirst slope of about 10 equal to the slope of the bottom edge of said casing, commencing at the front of said storage compartment slanting upward-rearward at a steep second slope of about 30 to an elevation of about half the height of said casing and thence slanting downward-rearward in a third slope approximately parallel to said iirst slope, said slopes tending to roll refuse upon itself as said ram retracts to inhibit forward-falling of said refuse as said ram retracts.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said casing comprises a pair of longitudinally extending, inwardlyfacing channels positioned on their sides, a longitudinal top extending along the rear portion of the length of said channels and spacers spacing said top above said channels, said top having the width of said channels.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said actuating -means comprises an inverted second channel inside said first mentioned channels and iixed at its fonward end to said ram, slide means for sliding said second channel between said rst mentioned channels, a cylinder ltixed to the forward end of said body, a piston rod extending rearward of said cylinder and fixed to said second channel.

4. The combination of claim 3 which further comprises longitudinal protection strips movable with said ram over the j'unctures of said second channel and said iirst-mentioned channels to prevent refuse entering said casing, said spacers providing room beneath said top for said strips as said ram moves rearwardly.

5. The combination of claim 1, said casing comprising a pair of spaced, longitudinally-extending, inwardly-facing channels positioned on their sides and said actuating means comprising a cylinder fixed to said body, a piston rod extending rearwardly of said cylinder and a longitudinally extending slidable member, elongated longitudinal blocks iixed to said slidable member and each complementary to and tting with one said channel, said blocks having a length about equal to the stroke of said cylinder.

6. The combination of claim S in which said blocks are of iron wood.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,996,203 8/1961 Rosaia 214-82 3,211,309 10/1965 Shubin 214-833 3,214,044 10/1965 Dempster et al. 214-516 XR 3,231,120 1/1966 Dempster et al. 214-51'6 XR ALBERT J. MAKAY, Primary Examiner. 

